Detachable and adjustable card table tray



Feb. 14, 1939; E. w. MARCHANT DETACHABLE AND ADJUSTABLE CARD TABLE TRAYFiled Nov. 19, 1957 Patented Feb. 14, 1939 PATENT OFFlCE METACHABLE ANDADJUSTABLE CARD TABLE TRAY Bernard W. Marchant, Richmond, Va.

Application November 19, 1937, Serial No. 175,513

1 Claim.

This invention relates to trays in general; and more particularly totrays adapted to be detachably connected to the corners of card tablesand the like for supporting articles such as beverage glasses, ashtrays, bottles, etc, in convenient position for use by persons seated atthe tables.

The main object of the invention is to provide a tray of the characterreferred to which will hold glasses, bottles, cigarettes or other smallarticles used by players during card games, and yet be located as topresent practically no interference to the use of the top or playingsurface of said table;

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterreferred to which can be readily applied as an adjustable trayattachment for use on table tops of different thicknesses. I

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds:

in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theinvention as applied to a corher of a card table;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the tray illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the tray as applied to acorner of a card table; and

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

As shown in the drawing, the tray comprises a heart-shaped plate 5having its edges turned upwardly to form a flange 'l which, in turn, isbent to form a rim 8 substantially parallel to the plate ii whichconstitutes the main body portion of the tray. Suitably secured to theone side of the plate 6 is a clamping plate 9 substantially triangularin shape and adapted to seat on the top of the table M to which the traymay be secured. The plate 9 is bent at its opposite ends to form thedownwardly directed flanges II and it? at right angles to each other andprovided respectively with slots I3 and M. Angle plates i 5 and It areslidably connected to the flanges I I and it to clamp the tray inposition on the corner of the table it. These plates I5 and it havescrew threaded rods l1 and I8 secured thereto and adapted to projectthrough the slots l3 and it, respectively, to receive the clamping thumbnuts l9 and it. It will be evident from consideration of Figures 2, 4and 5 of the drawing that the tray as so far described is adapted to beclamped to the corners of card tables having tops of differentthicknesses.

It is intended that the heart-shaped tray shall be fixed to the cardtable so that its axis of symmetry bisects the angle of the table towhich it is applied. In order to lock the tray securely in thisposition, the lower side of the plate 6 has suitably secured thereto thehorizontal flange 2! of an angle iron having a vertical flange 22provided with an aperture 23 through which extends a screw threadedlateral extension 24 of a substantially U-shaped locking rod 25. The rod25 has an upwardly directed part 28 adapted to seat in the corner formedby the sides 2i and 28-01? the table iii. A thumb nut 29 threaded on tothe extension 2i cooperates with this locking rod and flange 22 to forcethe flanges II and I2 and the cooperating clamping plates l5 and Hi hardagainst the outer sides of the table members 21 and 28. The reinforcingangle plates 30 and 3% extend in opposite directions from the flange 2i,and have their horizontal flanged portions suitably secured to the lowerside of the plate 6 to form a rigid support for said plate and preventtilting in either direction when loaded.

Any desired number of smaller trays within the capacity of the largetray T may be shaped to fit in the dished portion of the large tray T.As shown in Figure 1, a small ash tray 32 is seated at the pointed endof the heart-shaped tray T and is provided with a flange seating on therim 8 of the tray T. A second tray comprising a plate 33 is adapted toseat in the dished portion of the tray T. The second tray 33 is providedwith a pair of depressions 34 and 35 designed to support glasses orbottles or similar receptacles. A handle it may also be suitably securedto the upper flat part of the tray 33 to facilitate removal of thesmaller tray 33 from the main tray.

It will be apparent from the disclosure that I have provided a traywhich may be readily attached to or detached from the corners of cardtables of various thicknesses and which will support glasses, ash traysand similar articles in convenient position for players using the tablesand without materially lessening the surface of the tables available forcard playing or other uses.

What I claim is:

A tray attachment adapted to be detachably secured to the corners of atable and comprising a plate having an axis of symmetry, flangesdepending from the bottom of said plate and adapted to engage theadjacent sides of a table top, means adjustable on said flanges towardand from said bottom for clamping the plate to the corner of said tabletop with the axis of symmetry of said plate bisecting the angle betweenadjacent sides of said corner, a flange depending from the bottom ofsaid plate and symmetrically arranged with respect to said axis andprovided with an aperture, a U-shaped rod having a screw threadedextension extending laterally from one leg thereof, the other leg beingadapted to seat in the angle formed by the inner sides of adjacent framemembers of said top, and means engaging said screw threaded rod andflange for locking said attachment against movement in the 5 directionof said axis.

BERNARD W. MARCHANT.

